Payments for parking charges made by visitors to Ashdown Forest over the year have significantly contributed to the ongoing maintenance of the Forest’s infrastructure.
The scheme was launched in November 2022 and has allowed the public to continue to have safe access to the Forest.
Although still in the first year of implementation, the income generated has been used to improve paths and tracks, maintain or replace gates and bridges, fix potholes in car parks, and restore eroded entrances and exits. Forest managers hope to be able to do more this year.
Payments for parking charges were introduced on the Forest last November after a lengthy public consultation and public meetings. After listening to ideas and concerns from local people and visitors, several concessions were introduced to help ensure low-income families and other specific groups could continue to visit the Forest.
Ash Walmsley, Ashdown Forest Countryside Manager said:
“We would like to thank everyone who has visited the Forest and contributed by paying to park. We receive more than 1.4 million visits a year which all create some impact on the Forest.
"We believe our visitors understand that their contribution from parking payments in the Forest car parks contribute towards the protection and maintenance of this rare and beautiful landscape and keeps the Forest accessible and safe for all our visitors.”
The parking on Ashdown Forest is managed by national provider Horizon Parking Ltd, members of the British Parking Association Approved Operator Scheme. Its parking attendants visit the 45 car parks across the forest to support visitors and maintain signage and the parking machines.
Since November 2022 there have been just 93 penalty parking charge notices issued with the vast number of visitors paying to park. However, incidents of vandalism have seen signs defaced and removed since the parking scheme was launched.
In recent weeks these incidents have increased in number and severity with signs removed from 18 car parks. These must be replaced at a cost to the forest, diminishing the revenue from parking and the ability to invest in visitor infrastructure.
Ash added:
“It is a shame that a few people, perhaps just one, seem intent on disrupting the scheme, but the police are aware and together with Horizon we are working on ways to maintain and protect the parking scheme and continue to improve visitor infrastructure across the Forest.
"Despite these attacks we remain committed to improving the Forest for the benefit of everyone.”
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